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R. J. .SHBEHY- GUT-OUT PoR ELECTRIC GIReUTs. No. 264,777. Patented Sept. 19, 1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT J. SHEEHY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CUT-CUT FCR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,777', dated September 19, 1882.

Application tiled April Q0, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom fit may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT J. SHEEHY, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county ot` New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Out-Outs forEleetric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in switches or cut-outs for electrical apparatus, and is especially designed to he employed in connection with electric-light wires and other highly-charged conductors.

In establishing electric lights within -dwellings, warehouses, factories, and other structures for illuminating` purposes it has been found impracticable to so arrange and connect the conductors as to absolutely preclude the possibility of a person within the building accidentally coming into contact with both wires simultaneously, or with one of the wires and` a conductor connected with the earth, and thereby receiving a severe electric shock. Secondary or false arcs are also liable to be established by the accidental Contact of the oonductors with each other or with some more or less perfectly conductingmedium. Especially are firemen, while engaged in extinguishing oontlagrations in buildings in which electric lights are employed. exposed to danger, for the reason that the insulating material with which the wires are protected becomes melted bythe heat and the wires are liable to become severed. In such case an accidental Contact with the heavily-charged conductors or with a detached end of one of the conductors exposes thea-fireman to the liability of receiving through his body a fatal electric shock. The iiremen-are thus greatly impeded in their work by exposure to this additional danger.

rI he object of my invention is to provide a simple device whereby the electric light or other conductors may be instantly acted upon at any convenient point in such a manner as to leave the main-line connections complete, at the same time entirely disconnecting and insulating the wires leading into and through the building.

My invention consists generally in providing a switch or cut-out having a series of four or more rubbing contact-springs an'd/ means for normally electrically connecting the same in pairs or couples with an automatic device,

which, when brought into action, will instantly substitute for the normal connections an electrical connection between one contactspring ot one couple and the corresponding contact-spring of the remaining couple, whereby the cut-out may be so organized that an electric light or other apparatus normally in eluded in the main-line circuit may be in` stantly out out or removed therefrom by the release of automatic mechanism impelled by a spring or weight.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a switch embodying my invention, showing the device in a position for including the electrical apparatus in the mainline circuit; and Fig. 2 is plan view of the same, showing the switch in its second position-namely, for cutting out the electrical apparatus. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the line x x, and Fig. 4, shows certain details of construction.

Referring to these drawings, A represents a suitable base for supporting the various parts ot' the device.

B and B are standards upon which is carried a cylinder, O,ol` non-conducting materialsuch as wood or hard rubber-and which is mounted upon an axis turning in bearings b and 1). Upon one end ot' the cylinder O is tixed a coil-spring, E, one extremity ot' which, e, is secured to the base A and the other, c', to the cylinder O. The spring is wound in a proper manner, and with sut'ticient tension to tend to cause the cylinder O to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow. A pin, F, projects from one side ofthe cylinder O, which pin, when the cylinder is in the position shown in Fig. l, is engaged by a movable stop, G, which is held in its forward position by a yielding spring, g. A fixed stop, G', is mounted upon the base A in a proper position to engage tlie pin F when the, same is released from the stop G and retain the cylinder O in the position shown in Fig. 2. Four metallic contact-springs, Il, H', l, and l', are also mounted upon the base A, and their free ends are adjusted to bear against the surface ot' the cylinder O. An equal number ot' binding-posts, K, K, K2, and K3, are provided for making electrical connections with the contact-springs H, H', I, and l, respectively.

Mounted upon the cylinder() are three longi- IOO tudinal contact-plates, L, L', and L2, of brass or suitable conducting material. One of these plates, L, is of sufficient length and is so mounted upon the cylinder() as to electrically connect the two lcontact-springs H and H' when the device is in the position shown in Fig. 2, butis carried out of contact therewith when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The two remaining contact-plates, L' and L2, are shorter,but of sufcient length to connect the contact-springs H and I and H' and I', respectively, when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The relative positions of the contact-plates and the contactsprings are preferably such that when the cylinder C is turned in the direction of the arrow the circuit will be closed between the contactsprings H and H' immediately before the circuits between the contact-springs H and I and H' and 1' are broken, and vice versa, both for the purpose of preventing sparks and that lthe current upon the main line may not at any time be interrupted. This construction is especially desirable when a number of lights are connected in series in one main line. The rubbing of the contact-plates against the contactsprings keeps the surfaces bright and insures good electrical connection.

For convenience in 'turning the cylinder C against the tension of the spring E, in order to set the same in a position to include the electric lights within the building in circuit, I provide a key, M, which is preferably removable, and which tits into a suitable key-socket, N, at the end of the block C.

The operation of a switch constructed in the above-described manner is as follows: The main wire is connected with the posts K and K' and an electric lamp or lamps included in a loop-conductor, the ends of which are attached to binding-posts K2 and K3. When it is desired to include the lamp in the main circuit the cylinder C is turned by means of the key M in opposition to the tension of the spring E until the pin F is engaged by the stop G. The circuit may now be traced from the binding post K, through the contactspring H, plate L', spring I, binding-post K2, and through the electric-light circuit to the binding-post K3, spring I', plate L2, spring H', and binding-post K', to the main line. When for any reason it is desired -to cut the electric light out ot' circuit it is necessaryv only to throw hack the detent G, thus releasing the pin F. The cylinder will then be turned by the spring E in the direction indicated by the arrow. and the plates L' and L2 will be -automatically carried out of contact with the springs El and li' and the plate L brought into contact therewith. The circuit of the main line will thus be completed between the springs H and H' by means of the plate L, and the light-circuit will instantly be automatically disconnected therefrom. The wires-within the building may then be hauout of contact therewith, thus closing both circuits.

It will generally be found preferable to place the switches or cut-outs in convenient boxes outside the buildings, and in such positions that easy access may be had thereto for operating them, as above described, whenever occasion may require.

I do not intend to confine myself to the precise form of cut-out hereinbet'orc described,

as it is evident that numerous modifications may be made in the form and general construction of the device withoutdepartin g from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is Y 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a main line anda loopconductor including an electric light orlights or other electrical apparatus, of a switch or cut-out, comprising, first, contact-springs coilnected respectively with the terminals of the mainline and the loop-conductor; second, contact-plates for normally uniting the respective terminals of the main line with the corresponding terminals of the loop-conductor; third, a detent for retaining said contactplates in their normal position; fourth, a spring for automatically moving said contact plates to sever said connections when released from said deteut, and, fth,a contact-plate for completing a circuit between the respective terminals of the main line when its connection with the loop-circuit is severed.

2. A switch or cut-out consisting in the combination, substantially as hereinbetore set forth, of the non-conducting cylinder, the contact-springs, the contact-plates mounted upon said cylinder for normally electrically-connecting said contact-springs in pairs or couples, the pin projecting from said cylinder, and the stop for normally retaining said cylinder iu the position for completing said connections, a spring for automatically moving said cylinder to sever said connections when released from said stop, and a contact-plate for establishing an electrical connection between a coiltact-spring of one of said couples and the corresponding contact-spring ofthe other couple immediately before the normal connections are severed.

ROBERT J. SHEEHY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. TERRY, MiLLERAAC. EARL.

75 fore the plates L' and L2 have'been lcarried r 

